Wild Hog Presents a Streamed Live Virtual Concert with

Stephen Lee Rich

Friday, January 29, 2021 at 7:30pm CT

Singer/Songwriter, Yodeler, Comedian, Harmless Crazy Person. Stephen Lee Rich's 40-yr. music career includes a start in California, the 1970's in Chicago's folk scene, later in Chicago's comedy clubs and a move to Madison in 1995. Hosting open mics, he has supported many other performers. Expect a display of his multiple talents. His friends collaborating in this show include Sandy Andina, Ingrid Frances Stark and Lisv V. White (in sketches) with cameos by Fiona McGregor and Ari John Whitewolf.

More about Stephen because there is so much about this guy and his stage presence. Over 40 Years and Still At It! There’s No Stopping This Train Now! Most teenage boys hang up their guitars after securing their first full-time job, but Stephen Lee Rich, after winning a talent contest at the county fair in Mariposa, California in 1969, has kept the music, jokes, and yodels coming. The 1970’s found Rich learning and honing his craft at such seminal Chicago clubs as the Earl of Oldtown, the Barbarossa, Somebody Else’s Troubles, and the No Exit Cafe.

An article about him as a street musician was published in August of 1979 by the Reader, Chicago’s alternative newspaper, inspired then-mayor Jane Byrne to put city-sponsored street musicians at strategic places around the city the following summer. They called it the Troubadour Program. In the 1980’s, when the folk venues started to disappear, he began working at comedy venues like Zanies, the Comedy Cottage, and Kobart’s Komedy Kove. He soon joined forces with a number of variety acts to inaugurate the Revolving Door Revue, a touring troupe whose peripatetic engagements first brought Stephen Lee to Wisconsin, specifically Fort Atkinson’s Cafe Carpe and Madison’s Wild Hog In The Woods Coffeehouse.

Relocating to Madison in 1995 to sing country music for The Road Band, he soon found work at the Anchor Inn, in Madison, as the host of their weekly acoustic jam. He also became one of the rotating hosts of the open mic at Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse. Eventually he found his own venue running the open mic at Speed Jump Java Joint, then Urban Market and Coffeehouse, and finally Escape Java Joint. He kept that open mic going for another for six years. It got popular enough to get written up in a mainstream, daily newspaper, Madison’s Capitol Times. In 2002 he released the CD, “Facing Monday” to much critical acclaim. In 2001 he started working with Sandy Andina to form the duo Andina and Rich.

Stephen volunteers at the Wild Hog, using his experience, genius and connections to select and schedule performers at our Friday concerts.

Please visit Stephen's web site at www.stephenleerich.com and his Facebook page.

Due to Covid, the Coffeehouse remains closed. This concert is online only. Watch this on your phone, tablet, or computer and take a break from your stay-at-home distancing while enjoying great folk music.

Show your enthusiasm for the performers and our efforts to bring folk music to you during Covid. We have suspended charging admission to the Coffeehouse's concerts, and are splitting your tips between the performer and the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center. So please tip generously to support the performer(s) and the Wil-Mar Center's services during these trying times. Aaron will be donating his half to Wil-Mar tonight. via PayPal.

Wil-Mar is the neighborhood center where the Coffeehouse rents during normal times. Wil-Mar continues to run it's social services and food bank, while losing income from the cancelled festivals that make up half of their annual budget. In support of keeping Wil-Mar in business serving those that depend on these services, the Coffeehouse is continuing to pay our rent. So please donate generously to help us support Wil-Mar so they will be here when the pandemic comes to an end. Both Wil-Mar and the Coffeehouse are 501(c)3 charities.